Nelson & His World

Discussion on the life and times of Admiral Lord Nelson
It is currently Fri Mar 29, 2024 2:57 pm

All times are UTC [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 18 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2
Author Message
 Post subject: Re: Atty transport?
PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 2:57 pm 
Offline

Joined: Sat Jan 21, 2012 10:41 pm
Posts: 151
Not at all sure if this is relevant or helps as I may be missing the point entirely but... I happened to read this letter on the way to work yesterday, in Colin White's 'New Letters'. It is to William Paynter, dated Port Royal May 31st 1780.

Quote:
For these 4 months past I have been with the Expedition on the Mosquito Shore and at the Attack of Fort St Juan which surrendered on the 28th of April and March'd Out of the Fort on the 29th at daylight. 4 days before we took it, the Resource Ullisses and Victor Sloop with 2 Senior Officers to the present one to Command the troops, and though upwards of 100 Miles distant and not the least Connection with taking the Fort they will share Prize Money, but with so many it will be so little as not to be worth looking after.
What I am going to say I know you will sincerely wish me Joy of. Sir Peter Parker sent down the Victor with a new captain for the Hinchinbrooke and to bring me immediately to Jamaica to command the Janus vacant by the Death of Capt Glover, she is now at the Wharf heaving down & will be ready in about Six Weeks for Sea. I expect to come Home the Spring Convoy.

_________________
Vicki


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
 Post subject: Re: Atty transport?
PostPosted: Thu Jan 24, 2013 10:17 pm 
Offline

Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2012 9:17 pm
Posts: 88
Well spotted Vicki, I missed that! It pretty much confirms what I saw at the NA today.
Tony,
you were spot on about the master's log for Victor. The first part of the log ended 18th March 1780, the ship was at Port Royal, and had just been careened. The log then resumes November 1780, when the ship was at Kingston. All dates between are missing!

The muster of the Hinchinbrook revealed a little more information without actually confirming Nelson was discharged to Victor. It shows Nelson left on 1st May under order of Sir Peter Parker. It then brackets Nelson's retinue, 7 men in total (our old friend 'William Sylvan' among them), all left the ship with Nelson.
I did learn that Victor was definitely on the scene though!! A further seven able seamen, one boatswain and one midshipman were also discharged from Hinchinbrook on the same day(1st May), all recorded as discharged to Victor.
I thought of checking logs for Hinchinbrook, to see if any other ships were mentioned for that date. I bet you can guess -there wasn't any covering those dates.

Whilst Professor Knight is correct in saying there is no definite proof. I believe the evidence makes it extremely difficult to draw any conclusion other than, Nelson must have took passage with the rest of his crew mates on Victor.


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
 Post subject: Re: Atty transport?
PostPosted: Fri Jan 25, 2013 1:30 am 
Offline

Joined: Wed Dec 17, 2008 10:40 pm
Posts: 1088
T

Thanks for that update on your visit. I'm sorry that you still weren't able to confirm things 100% either way but there is some interesting information there so thank you for that.

When Knight uses the word "discounted" I read that as meaning "proved not" rather than "not proved" - if you get my drift! And yet still everything we have found from all the various sources suggests the contrary.

It came into my head earlier today that Knight may have been simply repeating an opinion from an earlier biography. I haven't done so yet but tomorrow I will dip into a few of the "interim" biographies that I have on my shelves here and see if any one of them throws any doubt on the Victor story.

I'll report back.

MB


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 18 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2

All times are UTC [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 86 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
cron
Powered by p h p B B © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 p h p B B Group